


Exhausting

by tateyama



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: M/M, Massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 11:24:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7101187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tateyama/pseuds/tateyama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's easy to get lost in your work. He knows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exhausting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [enchantress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantress/gifts).



Shoving the paperwork you’ve been working on for more than six hours hard enough to make half of it fall to the floor probably wasn’t the best idea you’ve ever had. To be fair, that was the first impulse you had given in to in weeks, which was something. Couldn’t hurt anybody, besides your lower back. Hah. So much for youth.

You take off your sunglasses and leave them on your desk while you rub your eyes, a headache forming behind them. After finishing whatever’s left of your long forgotten coffee --the third one-- you walk over to the window and stretch, not bothering to hide the huge yawn that follows. God, are your shoulders tense. You can see some of your soldiers busy with their daily routine; CQC practice, laps, push ups, and a dozen other things you’d rather be doing instead of sitting on your ass all day while stuck in this tiny office. Business might be what you’re best at, but you know what your heart craves.

Once the mess on the floor is reorganized and stapled together you drop unceremoniously on your chair, using your arms as a pillow. It’s around 1PM and all you’ve eaten was a donut a little after you woke up, but hell if you’re going to bother with self care right now. A nap sounds much better and soon you’re dozing off, mind still making plans and considering every possibility; never silent.

Good dreams are rare, but you can smell green tea and hear the TV somewhere in the background-- in Japanese, you realize. While everything is blurry, you know your mother is there with you. A hand affectionately ruffles your hair and stays on top of your head. You smile.

“Mom...”

“Wake up, Kaz.”

It’s low enough not to startle you, but you react quickly nonetheless-- eyes opened and then closed, still too sensitive to focus. You sit upright, reach for your sunglasses. It only takes you two tries to find them and slip them back on, letting you look at the figure standing in front of your desk.

He’s sporting a recently stitched brow so it can’t have been long since he returned from his mission. Once he thinks you’re awake enough he hands you some tupperware full of ravioli and salad. You don’t bother asking how he knows you haven’t eaten yet --what _doesn’t_ he know?-- but your appetite is gone thanks to the headache that has only worsened after napping.

“Welcome back, Boss. Glad you didn’t miss lunch.” You rest your chin on your right hand, glance at the paperwork. “Finished what we discussed last night. I doubt we’ll get an answer from the agency until next week, but I’m confident they’ll seal the deal. We’ve got them.”

You watch him briefly go through it in silence. He makes a small sound of approval after he’s done and you’re satisfied.

“You’ve been doing this too often,” The tone of his voice as he gives the paperwork back makes it clear this could end up being a scolding. “I told you not to.”

The time it takes you to put it away lets you think about how to avoid his impending anger. “This was _important_ , Snake. You know the amount of money we’re talking about here-- The sauna wouldn’t be able to compare. Imagine what we could build.” The idea genuinely excites you and soon you’re leaning forward, a huge grin showing. “Our kitchens could use some technology to make them more efficient, and there have been complaints about old mattresses-- we could improve all of that! Bigger comfort, bigger morale. Isn’t that right, Boss?”

Not even your nice little speech can distract him from his main concern, but it’s sincere enough to earn a good-humored sigh, and you could swear his mouth tugged upwards just a little.

“We’ll talk about it once the money is in our hands.” He’s leaning against the wall now, to your left. “I’m not going to lecture you on eating or sleeping schedules, Kaz. You know who you are. Set the right example.”

You can feel yourself sinking into the chair, your sore muscles whining. “Sorry, Boss. Won’t happen again. It’s been a long week, that’s all.”

Snake’s voice is warmer when he speaks again, head slightly tilted to the side. “You look beat.”

Well, damn. You haven’t seen your face since last night, but if _he_ feels the need to point it out, you must look like shit.

“Funny, isn’t it? I could stay in the jungle with you for five days straight and wake up at six still ready to go, but this place drives me _nuts_ ,” The chuckle you let out isn’t cheerful enough. He picks up on it. “I almost want something to happen just so I get the chance to throw some punches.”

“I could help with that.” His amusement is evident and your laughter finally sounds real, the way it always does around Snake’s dry humor.

“I said _almost_. My body feels like lead and there are at least three guys drilling through my skull. You got stitches and all, but I’m still at a disadvantage here.”

You’re trying to continue defending your case when he cuts you off, getting closer. “Take off your jacket.”

“Huh?”

“And your shirt.”

It gets easier with time, really. You get used to these sudden, seemingly inappropiate requests, or so you’d like to think. And it’s not like you have a _choice_ , so you do as you’re told. Everything is neatly folded on your desk by the time Snake moves behind you, hands on your shoulders. Not seeing his face makes you a little nervous so you focus on his touch instead, refusing to jump to conclusions. He’s too unpredictable for that anyway.

“They’re tense.” His thumbs start feeling around, rubbing small circles. “You’re meant to take breaks, Kaz.”

If the situation was different, you’d already have an excuse.

But this is Snake, about to give you what seems to be a _massage_ , and you can’t quite get the words out of your mouth. You consider for a moment that this must be a trap and brace yourself for the chokehold that never comes. Instead, his hands roam your shoulders with light pressure, warming them up. He keeps it up for a while, gradually switching to your entire upperback. Whatever uneasiness you felt before melts away the moment he uses his fingers, beginning to loosen up muscle knots.

“Didn’t expect you to be good at this, Boss.” You lean into his touch, eyes closed. “I’m impressed. Where did you learn?”

He’s working your trapezius when he replies. “It was part of training. Sore muscles won’t stop you from fighting but you can’t let them be either. That’s how strains happen. Worst case scenario, you won’t be able to move at all.” He applies more pressure, thumbs digging into your flesh while moving up until they reach your neck and then going back down again. A pleased sound escapes your mouth. “There’s also hypervigilance. You can’t notice on the battlefield because of the adrenaline, but your whole body is on edge. For some soldiers, though, that’s their default state of being. They can’t relax and it takes a toll on them.”

“Lucky them, huh? They have Big Boss to come to their rescue-- _Ouch!_ ” Your pretty mouth earns you a strong pinch in the shoulder but you chuckle nonetheless. “Jokes aside, that’s a great skill to have, Snake. In fact, we could incorporate it into our training regimen. I’m sure some of them already have the basics down; they could be the teachers, and you can supervise them. How does that sound?”

“Hmm. Not bad.”

“See? This is precisely why our current deal is so important. It’s not just about _kitchens_ and  _beds_ anymore, we could get actual physical therapy equipment for our medical team.” You twist your head, catching him in the corner of your eye. “That’s why I’m working so hard, Boss. I admit I might have been skipping a few meals here and there,” The glare he gives you speaks for itself. “But it’s always with purpose. I’m going to make this work, and I’m doing it for them. For _us_.”

Your position is too uncomfortable to maintain for long so you look forward instead, waiting for his reaction. He keeps working in silence for what seems like an eternity and you begin to feel sleepy. It’s after you’ve yawned twice that he responds with an exasperated sigh.

“Once it’s all done and over with, you’re going to _rest_.” The grip on your shoulders along with the imperative tone of his voice feels intense enough to be threatening and you sweat a little. “A good cause means nothing if you end up _a walking corpse_ for it. Two weeks from now, you’ll be practicing CQC with me for two hours every day. If you’re too exhausted to keep up with it, that’s not my problem.” He gives you a good squeeze as he leans over, whispering in your ear. “ _Do you understand, Kaz?_ ”

You swallow. “Yes, Boss.”

“Good.”

He pats your back twice before straightening up. You grab him by the arm just as he starts to walk towards the door.

“Um, Snake?”

“What?”

“I feel much better now,” You let go of him to sheepishly scratch the back of your head. “Thank you.”

You only catch a glimpse of the softness in his expression before he turns around. “Don’t mention it.”

It takes you a few minutes after he leaves to get dressed again, a strange mix of happiness and dread sitting in the pit of your stomach. You will probably die in two weeks, but at least you got an amazing massage beforehand. It's fine.

The tupperware he left for you is still warm. As you eat, you’re already coming up with names of possible suppliers for all the new equipment you’re going to be buying along with telephone numbers, but you don’t reach for the telephone just yet. Instead, you try to burn into your memory the feeling of Snake’s calloused fingers on your back.

“Wonder if I could get him to teach me."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i havent written anything in years and thought a small oneshot would be a good way to warm up. thanks for reading!!


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